Category Archives: Contracts

Philly vs. Nashville…will they or won’t they?…game, set & match?!

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Its official as we all knew that would be by tomorrow. Nashville has matched Philadelphia’s offer sheet. Philadelphia set the precedent with that large offer & now Nashville must pay the price. WOW! The ridiculous pay cheque was coming to Weber with either team , but this is really going to limit the players that Nashville can acquire over the next 10+ years, and this fills only one void on their defensive back end. By setting a standard by which they are now paying Weber, I sure hope he’s worth the $14 million! (Yes he’s one of he elite defensemen in the league for sure! but he’s making more money then Suter, Parise, Kovalchuk, & CROSBY & the SEDINS[$6.1 million! steal of a deal for those Swedish twins!]?!) If there ever was any doubt as to who the face of Nashville is, there is no more…it is Weber who (even though he wanted out) is now a Predator for life. I’m just not sure that matching the deal from Philly in order to make the point of how Weber is an integral part of their organization was the way to go. This statement now puts them in a situation that will certainly limit them financially over the first 6 years($14 million years 1-4, $12 million years 5-6…or $80 million over those 1st 6 years of this lucrative deal! not to mention the bonuses that all nearly guaranteed). However if Nashville had let Weber walk, then that not only upsets fans BUT it costs them a high calibre player & no certainty in their defensive core& the value of their franchise goes down. I suppose Nashville didn’t want to give up Weber for merely draft picks…and having already lost Suter to free agency,  they couldn’t let go of another franchise player. Now Shea Weber who stated he wanted out of Nashville(or perhaps said to force Nashville’s hand) will be a Predator for life. Or will he? Most likely yes unless some absurd crazy block buster trade were to come up but the odds are low on that one. Weber who at one time said it wasn’t about the money, clearly let the money do the talking for him this time. Signed  & settled & Weber is a very very rich individual.

Rumor has it CBA talks have resumed. Lets all keep our fingers crossed that both sides can come to an agreement & we do not have to suffer through another lockout(like the 2004-2005 season).

Rumor has it that the drama of the off-season is not yet done & will continue into the season(I like to think positively that there will still be a season because thinking there won’t be just is unacceptable.)

Until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Crazy Contracts

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Well with this latest long-term deal that Weber is about to sign officially(whether with Philly or Nashville) it highlights even brighter that craziness that is these long term contracts. The last few years have brought about many of these long-term deals -Kovalchuk w/ New Jersey, Ehrhoff w/ Buffalo, Crosby w/ Pittsburgh, Quick w/ LA, Staal w/ Carolina, Suter & Parise w/ Minnesota & of course the potential Weber deal to name a few, all ranging from 10-14 years in length. These are becoming a frightening trend amongst big names & tend to be heavily front-loaded…Crosby, Suter, & Parise all will make upwards of $12 million next year whereas Weber will make $14 million….a hefty price tag for all teams involved. It blows my mind to think that Weber will not only be the highest paid defenseman in the league, but the highest paid player in the league period. Which when you compare these mega salaries to the Sedins who seem even more like a bargain @ $6.1 million per year. In the last 3 years, the Sedins combined have won 2 Art Ross trophies, 1 Hart trophy, & 1 Ted Lindsay trophy. It makes me appreciate them both even more every time another outrageous contract is revealed & if there ever was any doubt that they were not interested in where the most money will be offered but rather the team’s desire to win, that doubt should no longer exist. Crazy contracts seem to be the norm as there are more signed each year, & each year a new extreme reached such as with Weber. I’m sorry but $14 million for a defenseman?! Yes he’s one of the top defensemen in the league BUT that is more than ANY other player in ANY position! I think $14 million is too hefty a price tag for any player to demand from their team especially in this salary cap era. I think it an extreme for Weber to insure that he gets his way….and I’m sorry BUT $14 million still just boggles my mind!! I guess the absurdness of its length & worth will continue to shock until the next crazy contract comes to light(*pending the conditions of the new CBA when both sides finally reach an agreement).

Nuck said. Sarah E.L.

I must also mention that my prayers & thoughts go the families &friends of the victims of the Aurora,Colorado shooting. I cannot even fathom what that community & the families are facing right now, but I do know that the power of prayer is stronger than even we can realize.

Weber 14 year offer sheet…Philly not Vancouver…..

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Didn’t I tell you that the drama was still to come in the off season?! It is official, Shea Weber has signed an offer sheet worth 14 years @ +$100 million….all I can say is WOW!!!!!! We will see if Nashville decides to match this extraordinary offer or not. This means that any thoughts people had that Weber might be in a Canuck uniform next season should be forgotten.Weber will either be a predator or a flyer until the day he retires(unless of course that contract comes without a NTC & a trade occurs at some point). Not matching this offer would give Nashville 4 draft picks as compensation.

This potential offer that Weber has signed with Philadelphia, raises the question about Pronger. What does this mean for Pronger? Does this mean that truly he is done(*possible retirement?) due his concussion & Philly desires a replacement for his on-ice abilities & presence on the team? I think if this is the case, Philly will miss have Pronger on the point & it will be unfortunate if his career is indeed ended this way.

It will be interesting to what this means for the Predators if they lose Weber, and interesting what it means for Philly either way. One thing does seem certain though, Weber will not be becoming a Canuck in the near future(*unless through some extreme circumstance of a trade that would have to benefit both sides.)

That’s all for now! Nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

p.s. I think the Canucks should re-sign/extend Edler stat!